First post: Great Uncle's bow...use it or hang it on the wall?

[Kentuckydiesel]

About 15years ago (when I was about 16), after my Great Aunt passed away, my family decided that I should have my Great Uncle's deer hunting bows.

1) a Ben Pearson Mustang, Cat 975, 62", 60#@28"
and
2) a Ben Pearson longbow, 501-1-40

Though I was very into archery at the time, and I took great care of the bows, they somehow made it down to my Dad's basement during my years in AG school. When I found them on the shelf, the finish (which had been nearly perfect) was in bad shape. I took them with me and am now just getting around to refinishing...but it seems I have worse issues to tackle.

On the recurve, there are a few small places where the glass has delaminated (very slightly). The largest section is on the belly side, just above the handle...it's barely noticeable, but I can get a fingernail in between the glass and the wood. The other two places are the glass "points" on either side of the top and bottom string nock grooves. The tips themselves (including glass on the tips) have no delamination.  There is also a slight crack in the handle where the different laminations of wood come together.
My other concern is some slight vertical stress cracking in the glass laminations where they widen back out above the sight window.

I was thinking of using a hypodermic needle and syringe to inject glue into these slightly delaminated areas and clamp them. Does this sound like a usable fix, or am I looking at a bow that's better kept for sentimental wall-hanging value? (Keeping in mind that my Great Uncle Steve would have likely wanted me to use the bows rather than let them gather dust.) As far as the stress cracking goes, is there anything to worry about there?

Also...is water based or oil based poly an acceptable finish for these two bows, or should I look into something else. (I just happen to have a couple gallons assorted polys left over from projects on my house.)

 

 

 

 


Thanks in advance!
-Phillip

[damascusdave]

That is too nice a bow to just hang up...seems to me you are on the right track with your repair and refinishing ideas...vertical stress lines are usually only cosmetic...take some more pics once it is finished please

DDave

[mahantango]

That doesn't look bad at all. Thin SuperGlue (Loc-Tite 420 if you can get it) wicked into the de-lams and clamped. Those vertical stress-cracks are nothing to worry about. Oil-based poly is a fine finish as is Tru-Oil. The key is lots of thin coats steelwooled in between, take your time and let completely dry.

[Kentuckydiesel]

Thanks for the input!  I had a brand new bottle of Loc-Tite "professional" liquid superglue on hand, so I decided to give it a go.  It actually wicks very well.  Went ahead and glued/clamped everything.  Seems to have come out well.  

As far as finish goes, I'm probably going to get something different than what I have now.
Have any of you seen one of these bows with a little stain in the poly, or do they come out better with a simple clear poly?  I love the natural colors and grains in the wood, so I don't want to cover that up...just wondering if anything might "richen" the look of the wood.

Thanks again!

-Phillip

[KentuckyTJ]

Personally I would send it to have it refinished. You would be very happy with the results and also would have nothing in your mind thinking about it malfunctioning then.

Oh yeah...Welcome Kentucky Brother!

[Kentuckydiesel]

Originally posted by KentuckyTJ:
Personally I would send it to have it refinished. You would be very happy with the results and also would have nothing in your mind thinking about it malfunctioning then.

Oh yeah...Welcome Kentucky Brother!

My little brother is a professional woodworker, plus he does historically accurate restorations on antique furniture and makes musical instruments on the side (using 18th century hand tools no less).  I would rather take it to him if I had to take it/send it somewhere...but I'm not too shabby on refinishing things myself.

One burning question though...if you use poly...do you guys put it on the glass too?

May be a useless question, because I'm kinda leaning toward an oil finish right now...but if I use poly, it will make a big difference.

Thanks again,
Phillip

[Kentuckydiesel]

Well, I couldn't take it anymore...

Since the glue was dry, I went ahead and took the recurve out for a test drive tonight.  I was actually a little surprised.  
I had learned how to shoot a bow using one of those little fiberglass department store outfits...then got pretty decent shooting a PSE with wheels, but had never really spent much time using a proper traditional style bow.
Been at least ten years since I really practiced, and it was starting to get dark so I only did about 15 yards for 20-25 shots, but I was shooting 10" groups using some 50 year old wooden arrows.  I was afraid I was gonna have arrows flying everywhere.  Guess I'm hooked again.  

-Phillip

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Great News.  enjoy!

[Badwithabow]

Hunt with it trust me it's great here's my grandads'73 Pearson cougar with its first deer 40 years later...

[Kentuckydiesel]

Originally posted by Badwithabow:
Hunt with it trust me it's great here's my grandads'73 Pearson cougar with its first deer 40 years later...
 

Bet that was a good feeling!  
I plan to hunt with it as soon as I feel comfortable with my shot placement.  My property is crawling with deer.  Hopefully it won't be long now!